The Cleaver is written/photographed/assembled/published by volunteer contributors who live in BSL.Remember - you don't have to live in the Fourth Ward (or even in Bay St. Louis) to be part of our neighborhood! It's easy (and free!) to subscribe - simply send your name, address and e-mail to: mailinglist@bslfourthward.com! We love to hear your comments too! Click here for the form!

In the September Issue

The BSL Little Theatre featured "Arsenic and Old Lace" in September. Superb job by all! The October Cleaver will include info on a fun Halloween event at the theatre!

Cleaver Status Report

Where's the Cleaver been anyway? Although our industrious Cleaver contributors (including 4th Ward Councilman Bobby Compretta, Events Guru Will Deal, columnists Karen Fineran and Pat Saik) have been working away and filing stories through the summer, the webmaster ( that's me - Ellis Anderson) has been short on volunteer time. My apologies. We're hoping to be back in the groove by the first week of October, with Karen Fineran coming aboard as alternate webmaster to prevent further lapses! Thanks for your understanding, your loyalty and your patience! Ellis

YOU can make BSL officially the COOLEST town in the U.S.!

Budget Travel Magazine has Bay St. Louis listed in a contest for the Top 10 Coolest US Towns. The winners will be selected by votes (and some other criteria, but to even get to that part, you have to have the votes) for the Top 10. You can vote once a day, through October 15. SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!

We've been in the lead, but another another town (in NEW YORK! ;-) has pulled ahead, so it's going to be neck and neck til the end of the contest! You don't have to register or anything to vote, it's EASY, so do it NOW - and every day until the 15th. Click here now to vote.

Business Expo and Art Show in Waveland

Our sister city is having a "do" for the new Waveland Business Center at 228 Coleman Ave. on = Thursday, September 27th, from 4-7pm. It's the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the Business Center, as well as the Chamber's annual Business Expo. Free admission to public. The ribbon-cutting will take place from 4-5pm and the Expo hours run from 5pm – 7pm. The Expo will include exhibits by some of the areas most innovative businesses, live music, refreshments, a cash bar and door prizes.

Fabulous 4th Ward Dog needs forever home!

A 4th Ward neighbor is fostering a lovely dog, but has her hands full already. Here's what she has to say about "Raven." She is a lab mix pup aprox. 8 months old. She's house trained. Wonderful with kids and has been great with my dog. I'd love to see her go to a family that would really appreciate her. Please e-mail info@bslfourthward.com if you'd like to meet Raven - we'll pass the word on!

October 20th - Big Day in the Bay!

Wicked good fun for Fido and spectators on the grounds of the Depot from 11am to 3pm. That morning, is also the 24th annual Coastal Cleanup! So you can clean up early,

Juicy Details!

Juicing fresh fruits and vegetables are all the rage right now, but does it live up to the hype?It is true that if you squeeze fresh fruit most of the nutrients are transferred to the juice.A cup of berry, citrus or kiwi provides more than 100% of your daily value of Vitamin C, a known antioxidant that protects muscles while working out.Claims that juice can ‘detox’ you are false. Your body is great at eliminating toxins on it’s own, and although drinking juice can’t flush chemicals, over time it does provide antioxidants that may help against the effects of being exposed to harmful compounds.Juice is a great way to stay hydrated. But be aware that a single cup can pack up to 160 calories, which can add up quickly. Vegetable juices are typically around 50 to 90 calories, making for a healthier choice.

Some enthusiasts believe not eating for a few days and only juicing can give your GI tract a break. Without fiber from whole foods, your GI tract may actually become more sluggish on an all juice diet.Drinking beet juice everyday for 6 days created an athletic boost in cyclists in a recent study. Researchers found that the nitrate in the juice indirectly increased blood flow. Runners who drink tart cherry juice before a race, the day of, and the day after a race show quicker recovery times and less inflammation. ( I do this everyday!!)Last but not least, juice fasts are far from a healthy sustainable way to shed pounds. Because juice is low in protein, you’ll lose muscle, hinder tissue repair and compromise your immunity. Plus you will regain the weight as soon as you start eating again.But juicing can be a nice supplement to a healthy eating lifestyle.Whatever you choose, JUST MOVE!contributed by Holly Purvis

Why we don't accept advertising...

We LOVE getting your comments and received this one from a Clever Fan:

Super issue guys! Wow - love the videoes and links. It gets better each time. Hey, how about some classy classifieds?

We've actually gotten several similar requests, which makes us smile, and then we politely decline.

So why don't we make the Cleaver into a little business or non-profit? One word: paperwork. This is a light-hearted project for all the volunteers involved and when we get together it's usually over food and adult beverages. We don't want to keep minutes, elect officers, or have meetings with agendas. That's business - this is fun! Thanks for understanding.

AWESOME new Cleaver Calendar!

click here for the new Cleaver Calendar!

Thanks to our Events Wizard, Willard Deal, the Cleaver has a new on-line calendar that simply rocks! You're going to want to bookmark this for sure and check back often to find out what's shakin' in our town! Click here to access. Also, find it in the menu bar at the top of the page!

Special thanks to Will Deal for keeping the calendar updated all summer, despite our publishing hiatus. It's a grand community service, so next time you see him around town, pat him on the back and buy him a beer!

Councilman Update - Bobby Compretta

To all my Ward 4 Constituents,

The end of summer came to a close with the celebration of Labor Day. I hope everyone had a great summer fishing, swimming, boating and enjoying family and friends. I know the children had a good time using the splash pad at McDonald Park. It was crowded every time I passed by. We also had an unwelcome visitor named Isaac on the 7th anniversary of Katrina. What a way to end the summer and hopefully the end of hurricanes for us this hurricane season. It looks like the City was blessed and had minimal damage except for some of the annexed area. I drove down every street in Ward 4 and didn’t see any major damage. We just have a lot of tree limbs and leaves to clean up. It has been a pretty busy time of the year for the City Council. We have been working on our budget for the next fiscal year that begins on October 1st. We had several workshops and a public hearing before we adopt the budget by September 15th. It’s going to be another lean budget but one that will allow us to continue giving everyone the service they need. Click here to view the Council Actions for August. If anyone has any questions or suggestions, please email me or call 216-7197. I’ll be there for YOU. Thanks, Bobby

Celebrating life on the coast!

The Fest will feature music by Heather and the Monkey King, food and drink by Bacchus, and local business booths. Tour and taste the flavors of Lazy Magnolia - only $15 admission at door!

Depot District Rocking to benefitHabitat for Humanity!

Another happening event in the Depot District! Click here for full details... Everyone who made it out to the Blues Jam during BridgeFest in June raved about how fantastic the event was - this should be similar in feel - but with cooler weather!

100 Men Hall - a BSL treasure

The official Mississippi Blues Trail marker was taken down during Hurricane Isaac, then reinstalled in front of 100 Men Hall on Thursday morning.

“I’m just overwhelmed with joy – and this joy comes from seeing the 100 Men Hall rise like the Phoenix from the years of neglect, and the ravages of hurricanes and storms, to become the shining star of the Gulf Coast . . .”Deacon John, June 17, 2011 Dedication Ceremony for 100 Men Hall historic marker.

On June 16, Bay St. Louis own’s 100 Men Hall celebrated its First Anniversary of the unveiling of its Mississippi Blues Trail marker. It was one year ago, on June 17, 2011, that the informative marker was placed in front of the 100 Men Hall at 303 Union Street. (The Mississippi Blues Trail consists of a series of historical markers throughout the state that tell the stories of bluesmen and women, and how the places where they lived influenced their music.) As you can learn from the marker itself, the One Hundred Members D.B.A. (Debating Benevolent Association) was formed in 1894...click here for full article. contributed by Karen Fineran

Roadside pick-up Schedule

Thanks to Bobby Compretta. If you have limbs, etc. left over from Isaac, now's your time to get em gone. To enlarge the list without printing, just hit "fullscreen."

WAIT!!! You're not done yet!

Have you checked out the incredible new Events Calendar? If not, you'll be missing lots of cool stuff!

A few comments from readers

from Dick Finegan - Hi, just discovered your newsletter, thanks for the great work.

from Melinda Ward - I am so glad I found The Fourth Ward Cleaver. I moved from the Bay in 1983. I miss being there so much. Thank you for keeping us old "Bay rats" informed when we can't be there.

From Marcie Baria - Thank
you all so much. I am staying on Venice Beach in Los Angeles right now
and just read the Cleaver. I cannont tell you how much it makes me miss
home. The piece on Infininty is fantastic! I feel like I have had a
tour. I am so proud of our community. We have such an amazing group of
selfless people (not least of all the Cleaver crew) that do so much to
make it the best place in the world to live. I can't wait to come home!

from Rachel O'Keefe - Dear people in BSL, we love you and miss you and will be there soon. We are bringing our three children to the house we renovated on Washington Street for spring break and we are desperately hoping/convinced that they will like it and see what we see in this town.

from Rosella Spoon: I just saw your page online and fell in love with it. It is so nice to be in a community that keeps residents up to date on everything. Thank you.

from Cindy Tyler: I love your newsletter. My heart aches to be with you in BSL and your newsletter reminds me of what I'm missing. Thanks for keeping us informed.

from Sherry Schwabacher: So glad to read the story about Larry Lewis and the Moss Men. I remember our first Mardi Gras in 1974. Alicein and Bahiyyih both rode in the Real People Parade on the HeadStart float. The Moss Men were a very popular feature with their colorful costumes and slightly scary masks! Thanks for bringing me home every month.

from Jinx Vidrine - WOW! i applaud ya'll. This so so beyond what i expected. Makes me want to rebuild...Please add me to your mailing list. This newsletter is not only outstanding ; it also makes me a good,warm kind of homesick and happy. Thank each of you for great work!

from John Bezou Jr. - I think this website is great. Living overseas makes it really hard to keep up on things happening in my neighborhood. Keep up the good work. PS: I love the name - very clever.

from Linn Harper - Congrats on the 4th Ward Cleaver. Very cleaver title. Very enjoyable reading. Since I live in Portland, OR, I miss Olde Towne, but hope to visit Rochelle & Boz next year.

From Kay Gough - in ITALY!!! Edward and I are delighted that you chose a photo of Pepper in Bay Books to illustrate your upcoming books and reading column. We miss you and look forward to our return. For now, thanks for the wonderful Cleaver!

Adieu -

Until next time! Thanks for joining us! And hey - send us YOUR news items and pictures - it takes a village to raise a good newsletter.

Please notify us of any errors or clear omissions so that we can make the correction. Send the information to news@bslfourthward.com